Page 4 of Finding Isaac (Foggy Basin Season Two)

Tig

Since Isaac refused to give me the time of day I sat and rocked in one of the big rocking chairs in front of Nuts and Bolts.

Hudson would laugh his ass off if he saw me out here, but right now I didn’t care.

Isaac was stubborn. So fucking stubborn.

And I knew the only chance I had to fix this was dependent on getting him to talk to me. No matter how much he didn’t want to.

“Mind if I sit here?” Mr. Atkins asked. I’d known him when I lived here in high school, and I swear he pretty much looked the same as he had then. He had to be at least a hundred by now.

Without a word I waved my hand toward the chair and tried to tone down my mood.

“Thank you, son. I love walking but I need a rest now and then.” He shuffled around until he was able to plop down in the chair with a grunt followed by a deep sigh.

“Now what’s got you looking like you’re ready to kick the shit out of the next poor unfortunate soul that passes your way?

” he asked while balancing his cane on one hand and not even sparing me a glance.

“Sorry, Mr. Atkins. I guess mostly I’m mad at myself,” I admitted.

“Does it have anything to do with Isaac Grant?” he asked with a knowing look.

I matched that look and tried to hold his stare, but for some reason I couldn’t. “Yep,” was all I could manage.

“Must be love,” he mumbled just loud enough for me to hear right as Hudson came walking over from across the street.

“Mr. Atkins, I brought some pastries from the bakery. Would you like something?” he asked and offered him first pick from the box he held.

“Why thank you, Hudson, that’s very kind of you.” He sat back in the rocker and took a big bite of the brownie he’d chosen.

He then turned to face me with a smirk. “What’s going on, Tig?” he asked, like I sat in front of his hardware store every day.

“Just rocking,” I said and picked out an apple fritter. “Thanks for this, I haven’t eaten since lunch.”

“Just rocking,” he repeated, and closed the box of pastries. “Let me put this inside, I’ll be right back. Can I get either of you something to drink?”

“I’d love some water if you have it,” Mr. Atkins said, and Hudson nodded at him before hurrying inside. “He’s a good one.”

“He is.” Hudson was one of the best friends I had when I lived here, and he was one of the few that stayed in touch with me when I left. We’d both been anxious to leave the small town when we were young, and now here we were right back in it as adults.

“So, what’s going on between you and Isaac?” Hudson asked as he handed Mr. Atkins a bottle of cold water.

I froze; did I really want to tell him? I mean it wasn’t like it was embarrassing or anything really big. It was just that Isaac was so pissed off he couldn’t calm down enough to talk to me. “Nothing.”

Hudson eased down into one of the chairs and shifted to look past me. “Really?”

I didn’t need to look to know that Isaac and Jack would be there. “Really.”

“Alright then,” Hudson said and focused on the street. “You know he’s probably telling Jack all about it right now. I mean, whatever it is.”

“Remind me again why I wanted to move back here?” I grumbled, making Hudson laugh.

“Can I give you some advice?” he asked.

“Why not?” I glanced at Mr. Atkins, who ignored us and acted like whatever car was driving down the street was far more entertaining than listening to us talk.

“When I first moved back here, I felt like everyone was in a club that I had been kicked out of without anyone telling me. I still treated them all the same, but they didn’t think of me as a local anymore and that hurt.

But then I realized they didn’t know me as an adult, and they didn’t know if I was the same kid they knew back then. ”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m just saying. When you leave here you forget how the people here work. How they react, and how strong and protective they are. Of the town, their family and friends, and their hearts.”

“So, what do I do? He won’t talk to me,” I whispered.

“Listen. When he’s ready to talk he will. Believe me when I say they make ’em stubborn in Foggy Basin. But they’re also the most loving and fiercely loyal of anyone I’ve ever met,” Hudson said.

“Sounds like you’re talking about Jack,” Mr. Atkins said, making Hudson grin.

“Maybe,” Hudson said just as the door to the hardware store opened and Jack stepped out followed by Isaac.

“Come and see how good the plant display looks,” Jack said and pulled Hudson up.

“See you soon, Tig,” he said before kissing Jack’s cheek and following him back inside.

“Isaac, come sit a spell,” Mr. Atkins said, and without arguing he did just that. After a few minutes of watching cars and a few people on the street Mr. Atkins stood and turned to face us both. “Now, it’s about time you two talk don’tcha think?” he said before shuffling off toward the post office.